Wolof people: Difference between revisions
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==Origin== |
==Origin== |
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Professor [[Cheikh Anta Diop]] proved that the [[Wolof people|Wolofs]] were not originally a distinct group but rather the result of an amalgamation of different ethnic groups while in ancient Egypt: [[Serer people|Serer]], [[Lebou people|Lebou]], [[Toucouleur people|fulani]], [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]] and [[Soninke people|Soninke]] who, in their evolution i.e. the [[Wolof people|Wolofs]], from a bafour |
Professor [[Cheikh Anta Diop]] proved that the [[Wolof people|Wolofs]] were not originally a distinct group but rather the result of an amalgamation of different ethnic groups while in ancient Egypt: [[Serer people|Serer]], [[Lebou people|Lebou]], [[Toucouleur people|fulani]], [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]] and [[Soninke people|Soninke]] who, in their evolution i.e. the [[Wolof people|Wolofs]], from a bafour nucleus the wolof became around the 12th century an organized and homogenized group with a strong capacity to assimilate, absorb or integrate all other ethnic groups.<ref>Senegambian Ethnic Groups: Common Origins and Cultural Affinities Factors and Forces of National Unity, Peace and Stability. By Alhaji Ebou Momar Taal. 2010.</ref> |
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==Historical state== |
==Historical state== |
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Revision as of 22:51, 26 October 2011
Notable Wolof:Abdoulaye Wade | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Senegal | 5,689,710[1] |
 The Gambia | 287,658[1] |
 Mauritania | 229,715 |
| Languages | |
| Wolof French (Senegal and Mauritania), English (The Gambia), Hassānīya Arabic (Mauritania) | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam (90%), Animism (6%), Christianity (2%)[2] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Lebou Serer | |
The Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.
In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs.[4] Note however that, this figure is misleading because other tribes who have been Wolofized and speak the Wolof language are added to this figure when in actual fact they are not Wolofs at all. [5]
In The Gambia, about 16% of the population are Wolof. Here, they are a minority, where the Mandinka are the plurality with 42% of the population, yet Wolof language and culture have a disproportionate influence because of their prevalence in Banjul, The Gambia's capital, where majority of the population are Wolof.[6]
In Mauritania, about 8% of the population are Wolof. They live largely in the southern coastal region of the country.
Orthography
In older French publications the spelling "Ouolof" is often used instead of "Wolof". In some English publications, predominantly those referring to Gambian Wolof, the spelling "Wollof" is used, because this spelling will induce native English speakers to pronounce the term correctly as a Wolof speaker.[7] In publications of the 19th century and before the spelling "Volof" and "Olof" can also be found. Rarely used are also the spellings "Jolof", "Jollof" and "Dyolof". - The term "Wolof" itself may also refer to the Wolof language or to things originating from Wolof culture or tradition.
Origin
Professor Cheikh Anta Diop proved that the Wolofs were not originally a distinct group but rather the result of an amalgamation of different ethnic groups while in ancient Egypt: Serer, Lebou, fulani, Mandinka and Soninke who, in their evolution i.e. the Wolofs, from a bafour nucleus the wolof became around the 12th century an organized and homogenized group with a strong capacity to assimilate, absorb or integrate all other ethnic groups.[8]
Historical state
The Wolof Empire was a medieval West African state that ruled parts of Senegal and The Gambia from approximately 1350 to 1890. While only ever consolidated into a single state structure for part of this time, the tradition of governance, caste, and culture of the Wolof dominate the history of north-central Senegal for much of the last 800 years. Its final demise at the hands of French colonial forces in the 1870s-1890s also marks the beginning of the formation of Senegal as a unified state.
It is very important to note that, the Wolof Empire [real name Joloff Empire, Jolof Empire or Dyoloff Empire] although associated with the Wolof people, in reality it is actually a Serer Empire. All the so called "Wolof Kingdoms" such as Jolof, Waalo, Cayor and Baol were in actual fact ruled by Serers, Bambaras or Moors. None of them were actually ruled by Wolofs but by outsiders. Although the population were predominantly Wolofs, the rulers of these Kingdoms were not. For example:
- The kings of Jolof have the paternal lineage Njie which is originally Serer. Previous to the "Njie" or "Ndiaye" paternal dynasty, Jolof was ruled by the Ngom and Jaw dynasties who are also Serer in origin and Mengue dynasty who are Lebou in origin (a tribe that is usually associated with the Wolof but in reality distinct).
- The kings of Waalo comes from the Mboge paternal lineage. The surname "Mbooj" or Mboge" derives from “Bo” which is Bambara in origin. The surname becomes Wolofized into “Mbooj” or “Mboge” just as the Fula surname “Ba” becomes Wolofized into Mbacké. The three matrilineal dynasties of Waalo: "Joos", "Tedyek" and "Logar" are also not Wolof. The Joos maternal dynasty trace their descend to a Serer princes called "Linger Ndoye Demba" from the Kingdom of Sine who was given in marriage to the king of Waalo. All the kings and princesses of Waalo with “Joos” maternal lineage are of Serer heritage. The Tedyek are Fula and the Logar are Moors. [11][12]
- The paternal Faal dynasties of Cayor and Baol that ruled after 1549 are originally Moors. Prior to the Faal dynasty of Cayor and Baol, these two kingdoms were ruled by the Serer people with the patrilineages Joof, Faye and Njie, and the maternal lineage of Wagadou – members of the royal family of the Ghana Empire who married into the Serer aristocracy. [13]
At the time of the Jolof Empire, the kingdom of Jolof was the administrative centre of the Emperor - the Njie paternal dynasty who are Serer in origin. As such, although the term “the Wolof Empire or Jolof Empire” may at face value indicate that it was the Wolof people who were ruling the Empire, in reality, it was ruled by the Serer people who became Wolofized by virtue of the fact that, these Serer kings resided in predominantly Wolof areas (their subjects) and became assimilated.
Culture
Wolof people’s traditional culture and practices have survived the colonial era and are a strong elements of the senegalese culture .
Language
"Wolof" is the name of the native language of the Wolof people Because at least 50% of Senegal's population are native speakers of Wolof,while members of neighboring groups are often bilingual and can understand wolof .
Wolof culture and language have an enormous influence, especially in urban areas.
Wolof is strongly linked to serer and fulani in structure with minor arabic influence
Religion
The vast majority of the Wolof people are Muslim sufis , . The Senegalese Sufi Muslim brotherhoods, appearing in Wolof communities in the 19th century, grew tremendously in the 20th. Their leaders, or marabouts, exercise a huge cultural and political influence amongst most Muslim communities, most notably the leader of the Mouride brotherhood, Serigne Cheikh Maty Leye Mbacké. The islam of the wolof is very tolerant and put an emphasize meditation and spirituality .
Wolof ceremonial traditions
Ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and baptisms, while not unique, have traditional elements distinctive to the Wolof. Many aspects of these traditional ceremonies have merged and been modified through the 20th century.
Weddings
Prior to traditional Wolof wedding ceremonies, the parents of the groom-to-be sends elders to the girl's parents with kola nuts and money to ask for her hand in marriage. The girl's parents consult their daughter and either consent to or reject the proposal.[14]. If accepted, the parents of the bride to be distribute the kola nuts among the family and neighbours. This distribution is an informal way of announcing the impending wedding. In more traditional practices, the groom to be's family paid the girl's bride price in the form of money. This tradition, where surviving, has been modernized and dowry is paid in money, cars or even houses. After the completion of the groom's obligations, the two families set a wedding day. Before the wedding day, the groom's family gives a party to welcome their daughter-in-law and to prepare her to live with her new family. The imam and elders advise the groom with the presence of some representatives of the bride's parents.
Weddings traditionally take place at the groom's home. Parents receive guests with food and drink (but not alcohol), while guests bring gifts of money, rice, drinks, ships, sugar, or spices. After the ceremony people feast and dance with guests hiring a griot (praise-singer) and giving further gifts to the groom's parents.
Notable Wolof people
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2008) |
Bibliography
- Cissé, Mamadou (2004). Dictionnaire Français-Wolof. Paris: L’Asiathèque. ISBN 2911053435.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Cissé, Mamadou (1994). Contes wolof modernes. Paris: L’Harmattan. ISBN 2738430163.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Malherbe, Michel (1989). Parlons Wolof – Langue et culture. Paris: L'Harmattan. ISBN 2738403832.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Bichler, Gabriele Aïscha (2003). Bejo, Curay und Bin-bim? Die Sprache und Kultur der Wolof im Senegal (mit angeschlossenem Lehrbuch Wolof). Europäische Hochschulschriften. Vol. 90. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Verlagsgruppe. ISBN 3631398158.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Fal, Arame (1990). Dictionnaire wolof-français (suivi d'un index français-wolof). Paris: Karthala. ISBN 2865372332.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Goetz, Rolf (1996). Senegal – Gambia: Praktischer Reiseführer an die Westküste Afrikas. Frankfurt am Main: Verlag Peter Meyer Reiseführer. ISBN 3922057098.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help)
References
- ^ a b adherents.com: Wolof
- ^ Senegal:Religion, africaguide.com (1996-2008).
- ^ ethnologue.com (2002 figures)
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sg.html
- ^ African Sensus Analysis Project (ACAP). University of Pensylvania. Ethnic Diversity and Assimilation in Senegal: Evidence from the 1988 Census by Pieere Ngom, Aliou Gaye and Ibrahima Sarr. 2000
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ga.html
- ^ http://www.lrc.columbia.edu/students/languages/wolof.html
- ^ Senegambian Ethnic Groups: Common Origins and Cultural Affinities Factors and Forces of National Unity, Peace and Stability. By Alhaji Ebou Momar Taal. 2010.
- ^ Le Djoloff et ses bourba(French) by Oumar Ndiaye Leyti.
- ^ Samba Diop. The Wolof Epic: From Spoken Word to Written Text. "The Epic of Ndiadiane Ndiaye
- ^ Wade. Chronique du Wâlo Sénégalais, 1186?-1855. Published and commented on by Vincent Monteil . Bulletin de l'IFAN, 1964, tome 26, no 3-4.
- ^ Boubacar Barry. Le Royaume Du Waalo: Le Senegal Avant La Conquete. ISBN 2865371417 (2-86537-141-7)
- ^ Andrew F. Clark and Lucie Colvin Philips. Historical Dictionary of Senegal. Second Edition (1994).
- ^ People and culture of Senegal. (2007). Africaguide. Retrieved May 30, 2007.